Home
by KuroFan4235
Summary: After Ritsuka's mother attacks him, social services send him to live with...Soubi!  What will it be like living with Soubi?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Slowly, painfully, Ritsuka began to wake up. Why did he hurt so much? Why was his head pounding? Was he sick? Would being sick make him hurt all over like this? Had he been in an accident? A car wreck or something like that? Slowly, he forced his eyes open and for a moment just stared at the white ceiling above him. He wasn't in his room, but he was lying down, so…

"Doctor Fujioka, please report to pediatrics. Doctor Fujioka, please report to pediatrics."

An announcement on a loudspeaker for a doctor? Was he in a hospital?

"Ritsuka?"

Slowly, his head turned and he could see someone standing close to him. "Soubi?"

"Nurse! Nurse, he's awake!" Soubi said loudly, scooting out in the hallway. "Nurse!"

Oh, yes, he was definitely in the hospital. A minute later Soubi was back with a nurse right behind him.

"Hello, Ritsuka-kun! It's good to see you awake at last! How are you feeling?"

"I hurt," Ritsuka said, wishing he could sit up. "What happened to me?"

For a moment, the nurse looked uncomfortable. "Ah, you were injured," she said. "Don't worry, the doctor says that you'll make a full recovery and be as good as new in no time!" Briskly she took his vitals and hurried out.

"I wonder how much coffee that woman drinks," Soubi reflected idly. "How are you really feeling, Ritsuka?"

"I hurt and I'm confused," he said. "Soubi, what happened to me? How was I injured?"

Ritsuka had learned to read Soubi's moods ever since the man had forced himself into Ritsuka's life months ago. He could tell the older man was considering not telling him. "I'd rather hear it from you than from some stranger, Soubi."

Soubi nodded. "I went to your house last night. You hadn't gone to school and you weren't answering your phone, so I…well, I basically broke in."

"It doesn't surprise me," Ritsuka said. "Go on. What happened?"

"Your mother had attacked you," Soubi said quietly, wishing he could spare the boy this pain. "When I got there, she was shrieking that she'd kill the strange child pretending to be her son. She had a knife in her hands and you were unconscious. I managed to get the knife away from her and call the police. Your father's not been found and your mother's in a psychiatric hospital right now. You were brought here and this is the first time you've woken up."

Ritsuka shifted on his pillows, his mind refusing to take the words in or understand them. His mother had said she'd kill him? "What did the police say?"

"Not much," Soubi confessed. "One of the medical people who responded to the call said that it looked like she'd had a complete mental breakdown."

It shouldn't have mattered. He'd always known his mother was unstable, so why was he feeling tears welling up in his eyes like this? All that had changed was the number of people who knew. His therapist had voiced her concern about his mother's mental health, he'd known his mother wasn't all right, his father had known, and now other people knew. Why did he feel like he wanted to cry now?

"It will be all right, Ritsuka," Soubi said. "You don't have to carry this burden anymore by yourself."

"What will happen to her?"

"Doctors will help her," Soubi promised. "She'll stay with them until she's better."

Soubi looked as if he wanted to launch into a stream of reassurances, but then the nurse was back. "I thought Ritsuka-kun would like something to eat. Something light, to start with, to see how you do."

"I'm not hungry," Ritsuka said flatly, eyeing the soup, bread, and juice on the tray.

"You should try to eat," the nurse insisted. "The doctor will be here soon and besides, you must be thirsty."

He _was_ thirsty. "Maybe a little juice, then."

"I'll make sure he eats a little," Soubi promised the nurse.

Ritsuka didn't have the energy to throw a pillow at Soubi, but the urge was almost overwhelming. Over the next twenty minutes he sipped at the juice and let Soubi coax him to try some of the soup and bread. He was just finishing the last of the bread when the doctor arrived.

"It's good to see you're awake," he said, smiling. "I'm Doctor Otori. How are you feeling?"

"I hurt."

"That's to be expected," Dr. Otori said, shining a light into Ritsuka's eyes. "You took a nasty whack to the head, so it's bound to hurt for a few days. I'll send some medicine up to you to help with the pain, so it's good that you've eaten. Do you feel dizzy or sick?"

"No. My head hurts and practically all of me hurts, but I don't feel dizzy or sick."

The doctor smiled. "That's very good. Later this afternoon, would you feel up to having a visitor? She's from our social services office and she'll be here to talk to you about what happened."

"All right," Ritsuka said. He was not looking forward to this.

The woman from social services was called Sayakawa Midori and she was, in Ritsuka's opinion, pretty nice. She wasn't the least bit silly, which he'd somewhat expected, but she was calm and kind and got to the point quickly. She asked Soubi for a bit of privacy with Ritsuka and then spent the next few minutes asking him questions about what had happened, how had his mother been acting lately, and where his father might be.

"I don't know," Ritsuka admitted at last. "I know he works, but I've never been to his office. There are times when I don't see him for days. Mostly it was me and Mom at home."

"And your mother? Has her behavior changed lately?"

He shrugged. He really didn't want to talk about it.

"Ritsuka-kun, it's important you tell me the truth so the doctors can help her get better. I know you might feel that you have to keep things secret. It can be scary to tell secrets, but if other people need to know what you have kept secret, then you have to be brave and tell them."

"She…yelled more often. Threw things at me. Screamed that I wasn't her Ritsuka. There were times when she wouldn't let me leave the house. She said that she wasn't letting me go anywhere until I brought her Ritsuka back. Then, she would change. She'd hug me and say how happy she was to have me back and that she wouldn't let anyone take me away from her again." Those times, in his mind, had been scarier than the times she'd yelled at him. It was as if she was truly a different person. She'd cuddle him, couldn't stand for him to leave the room, and she'd make him eat so much food (all of "Ritsuka's" favorites) that he thought he'd burst.

"And what happened yesterday?"

"I don't know what I did," Ritsuka confessed. "All I said was that I was leaving for school and then she...started yelling at me again. Started screaming. I couldn't make any of it out. She wouldn't let me leave. For most of the day she kept yelling, but sometimes she got quiet. If I tried to leave the room she'd start screaming and throwing things again, so I stayed quiet. Then...I don't know. I think she threw something and it hit my head and..."

A knock on the door, and there was Dr. Otori. "Midori-san, may I see you for a moment?"

"Oh, of course," the social worker said, getting to her feet. "I'll be right back, Ritsuka-kun." She pulled the door closed behind her as she went out, but it didn't quite close, and Ritsuka could catch some of what they were saying.

"Evidence of multiple injuries over a great deal of time...poorly nourished...countless bruises in various states of healing...actually had broken bones that didn't set quite right...puncture wounds..."

He was starting to feel cold. Cold and scared, actually. Strangers who became interested in him...that always lead to trouble. He wasn't sure he could take any more trouble for the time being. He had the Seven Moons to think about...although, they hadn't shown up for a while. Still, he wanted to solve the mystery of Seimei's murder. Having that take a back seat to something so mundane as strangers being concerned about his home environment would be more than he could stand.

"Thank you, doctor," he heard Midori-san say before she slipped back into the room. "Ritsuka-kun, there's something else I'd like to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Why didn't you tell anyone about how your mother was treating you? She's been hurting you for a long time, hasn't she?"

How could he explain it? How could he explain that the pain he suffered every day at his mother's hands was suitable punishment for him? Punishment for him not being the correct Ritsuka...for not being stronger...for forgetting who he was... "I was scared." That was an answer he knew she would accept.

"You've been very brave answering my questions today," she said, retaking her seat. "Ritsuka-kun, do you have any other family aside from your parents?"

Ritsuka thought about it. "I...don't know. I think my father has a sister somewhere...or maybe she's a step-sister."

She nodded and opened a file folder. "Hmm. The only emergency contacts listed in your school files are your parents and a...an Agatsuma Soubi. Is that the young man who's been sitting with you since you were brought in last night?"

"That's Soubi," Ritsuka confirmed. "He's my older brother's friend."

She nodded. "Your brother...now, he died, correct?"

Ritsuka nodded, wadding the edge of the blanket up in his hands. "He'll spend time with me sometimes. We'll talk, play video games, make memories..."

"Make memories?"

"Take photos," Ritsuka clarified. "I feel like if I don't have pictures of something I'll forget it, so I call taking photos 'making memories.'"

Midori smiled. "I see. You know, one of the nurses told me that he hasn't left you since he found you."

"Soubi's like that," Ritsuka said. "I heard him say once that he feels he has to take care of me in place of my brother." That wasn't strictly true...Soubi had said that to Yuiko and she'd repeated it to him.

"It sounds like you have a good friend," Midori said. "Well, I think I've tired you out enough for one day. I'll be back tomorrow morning, all right? We'll talk some more then."

Soubi was there shortly after Midori left. "Is there anything you need, Ritsuka?"

Ritsuka shook his head. "No, there's nothing." He stopped and turned on his side, facing Soubi. "Soubi...what's going to happen? Mom's in the hospital and Dad's...well, I don't know where he is."

"Don't worry, Ritsuka. Things will be all right. I promise."

* * *

><p>Midori was back the next morning, bearing a get-well-soon basket of sweets. "Don't let the nurses see you eating any of this, though," she said mischeivously. "I've been in contact with several people about you Ritsuka-kun."<p>

Ritsuka felt his nerves spiral tight. "What did they say?"

"Well, we can't locate your father and he does have a step-sister, but she isn't willing to take you," Midori said. "It seems that she and your father never got along. However, we do have someone willing to take you."

"Take me? You mean, I can't go home?"

"There wouldn't be an adult there with you, and you can't live by yourself, Ritsuka," Midori told him.

"Where will I go?" Ritsuka asked, feeling a little lost. He was already feeling a little forlorn since Soubi had disappeared before he'd woken up that morning, leaving a note saying that he'd be back later after he'd taken care of something important. He could understand that sometimes there were things that had to be taken care of, but it would have been nice to see a friendly face as soon as he'd woken up.

"Agatsuma Soubi has agreed to take you."

For a moment, his mind absolutely refused to take any of those words in. "Take me? You mean, I'll live with Soubi?" He didn't see how this would be possible. For one, Soubi's apartment was already crowded with three roommates. Would there be room for him?

"Of course you'll live with Soubi," Midori said. "He told me this morning that he's arranged for a house big enough for the two of you."

Ritsuka didn't want to think about how Soubi got the money for an entire house. "Couldn't Soubi stay with me at my house?"

"We'd need your father's permission for that, Ritsuka, and since we can't locate him..."

Ritsuka nodded. "Okay. I'll be staying with Soubi, I suppose." He wondered what this woman would say if he told her about all the times Soubi had kissed him and the hints he gave...no, best not to mention those things. If he became annoying in that manner again, he'd threaten Soubi with a call to social services about him. If he wanted Ritsuka to stay with him, then he'd learn to behave. At least, he hoped Soubi would behave. "Is that where Soubi is now? Getting the house ready?"

"He didn't say," Midori admitted. "He did say he'd be back later. The doctor said that you might get to leave the hospital tomorrow morning. Would you like that?"

"It's no fun being in the hospital," Ritsuka said. "Yes, I'd like that."

* * *

><p>Soubi wasn't back that day until almost dinnertime. Ritsuka had spent the day flipping through magazines or watching television or being bored out of his mind. Whenever he tried to nap he kept dreaming of his mother and what she'd said, so none of his naps lasted long. He was staring listlessly out the window when Soubi arrived, bearing flowers.<p>

"What's this?" Ritsuka said, staring at the huge bouquet in Soubi's hands.

"A little get-well gift," Soubi said, putting the flowers into a vase. "I stopped by your school and got your assignments, too, and I saw Yuiko."

Despite himself, Ritsuka felt a spark of interest at the mention of his friend. "Is she all right?"

"Worried for you, but other than that, she's fine. She helped me pick out the bouquet, but she had to get home before her parents, so she couldn't come with me to see you. How are you feeling?"

"I'm all right. The doctor says I can leave the hospital tomorrow morning."

"That's good."

"The lady from social services said that I'll be staying with you. That you offered to take me."

"I'm more than happy to," Soubi answered with a smile.

"Aren't you a college student?"

"Yes."

"Aren't college students supposed to be poor and always worried about money? How can you afford a house?"

"I had some money left to me by my mother," Soubi explained. "I always kept it tucked away just in case, and now, it's needed."

"I don't want you to spend money on me," Ritsuka said, feeling guilty that Soubi was using up his savings on him.

"Don't worry about it," Soubi said gently. "I won't suffer any hardship over this, I promise. Would you like to know what I've been doing all day?"

Since he was clearly eager to tell him, Ritsuka nodded. "What have you been doing?"

"I've been getting our house ready for you," Soubi answered. "Also, I packed up all your things from your parents' house and brought them over. Your room's all ready for you. In addition, I've been buying a few things we'll need. I hope you'll like where you'll be living."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Ritsuka said politely. "Um...where will we be living?"

Soubi named a neighborhood only six blocks from Ritsuka's school. "You won't have to go far to school, and there are stores and the library nearby. I think you'll like it."

"Hmm." It was hard to work up any enthusiasm about it. More than anything, he wished that his hospital stay was over and that he...well, he couldn't go home, could he? His mother was in the hospital and his father...there were times when he wasn't sure what his father looked like anymore, he saw him so rarely.

Dinner arrived, both for him and for Soubi, who, it seemed, all of the nurses liked. They ate together, talking very little, and in the time between dinner and bed Ritsuka got started on his school assignments. He had nothing better to do and he figured that the sooner he started on them the sooner he would finish them. Studying on his own was no substitute for actually being in class, though, so he had to consult the notes Yuiko had taken for him and Soubi more than once over something. He'd just finished his math when Soubi insisted he set his books aside and get some sleep.

"Things won't look so bleak in the morning, Ritsuka," Soubi promised as he settled back in bed. "Sleep well."

* * *

><p>Morning arrived, and with it, breakfast. Shortly after breakfast the doctor arrived for another exam.<p>

"You've mended up pretty well," Doctor Otori said happily once the exam was finished. "Now, you'll have to come back a week from now for a check-up, but I think you'll be able to go home today."

"I'm glad," Ritsuka said. "Thank you, sensei."

"You're welcome. I know you'll be in good hands with Soubi-san."

A quick shower and some fresh clothing made him feel human again, Midori-san dropped by to say that she'd see Ritsuka next week, and then one of the nurses wheeled him downstairs, where Soubi waited for him with all the flowers and get-well gifts he'd received. Ritsuka thanked the nurse and followed Soubi out the door to a waiting taxi.

They didn't talk much during the ride to Soubi's house. Instead, Ritsuka gazed out the window, lost in his own thoughts. When they pulled up to a mid-sized house with a good-sized yard he was surprised. He'd passed it just a few days ago on his way to school, but now the FOR SALE sign was gone. "We're living here?"

Soubi nodded and got out of the cab. Ritsuka followed and the cab driver helped them lug everything to the front door. Soubi paid the driver, unlocked the front door, and ushered Ritsuka inside.

At first look, the place seemed spacious, and on second look, the spacious impression stayed. Ritsuka slipped off his shoes and wandered into the living room, looking around. Somehow, Soubi had managed to furnish and set up the house within the space of a day or so. There was a comfortable couch, easy chairs, a coffee table, an entertainment center, and plenty of bookshelves filled with books. Potted plants and a tabletop fountain in the corner brought a bit of the outdoors in, and in an alcove to the left was...a home shrine to Seimei. He could pay his respects to Seimei any time he wanted, now. "Th-thank you, Soubi," Ritsuka said around a lump in his throat.

"It's all right," Soubi said, putting things from the hospital on the coffee table. "Would you like to see the rest of the house?"

Ritsuka let Soubi show him the kitchen and adjoining dining area, the toilet and the bath, the outside patio, and upstairs Soubi showed Ritsuka the upstairs toilet, Soubi's room, and then Ritsuka's room. Ritsuka got quite a shock when he opened the door and saw all of his things from home in this new room. "How did all of this get here?"

"I brought it," Soubi admitted. "I figured you would want your own things."

Ritsuka stared at all of his books, games, pictures, his computer, and when he opened his closet, there were his clothes and other things. A brightly-colored pile in the corner of the room drew his attention. Gifts, all wrapped in different papers and decorated with bows or ribbons. "Um...Soubi? It's not my birthday or anything?"

"They're welcome gifts," Soubi explained, giving him an enigmatic smile.

"You've already brought all of the things I'd need," Ritsuka said, feeling uncomfortable.

"Don't let them worry you," Soubi said, ruffling his hair. "You can open them or not as you like. I should get a start on making lunch, so you go ahead and relax for a bit, all right?"

Once Soubi left, Ritsuka didn't know what to do. He didn't have to unpack, Soubi had already done that for him. The room was already set up, and there seemed nothing that needed doing. He sat on the bed for a while, staring off into space, but then he found his eyes drawn the pile of gifts. He didn't want gifts from Soubi, he wanted...well, he didn't know the words yet for what he wanted from Soubi. Answers, certainly. Answers for all the questions he had. Explanations about Seven Moons and why they'd murdered Seimei and...since Soubi had been his brother's partner, wouldn't he _know_?

His thoughts wandered then. He didn't think too deeply about anything; he just let his mind go where it wanted. He was half-asleep when a knock on the door brought him back to awareness. "What? Soubi?"

"Lunch is ready, Ritsuka," Soubi answered. "Are you hungry?"

A few days of hospital food always left one craving real food. "Yes! Coming!"

Ritsuka had to give Soubi credit for being a good cook. He always seemed to know just what to make, somehow. For lunch he'd made udon noodles with chicken, mushrooms, and vegetables. It was odd, though, to think that he was sitting down to a meal with Soubi in a home they now shared. It was almost like they were a...well, a family.

"How's your lunch?" Soubi asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Oh. It's good," Ritsuka said, taking a bite of chicken. "You're a pretty good cook."

"Thank you for saying so, Ritsuka. The doctor said to make sure you eat well for the next few days, so if there's something you want to eat, just tell me."

This was puzzling. "Why does the doctor want me to eat well?"

"He said you were a bit too thin for his peace of mind," Soubi explained. "He said that he didn't think your mother fed you very well."

"She fed me all the time!" Ritsuka protested, feeling oddly loyal to his mother. "She always made huge meals!"

"If that's so, then why are you so thin?" Soubi wanted to know.

"I..." He broke off, confused. How could he explain? How could he explain what a trial each meal had been for him, having to remember all the foods his mother's "Ritsuka" had liked and hadn't liked? How could he explain how his mother lost it when she saw him eat something she thought he was supposed to hate? He already knew that he couldn't explain how his stomach hurt even before he sat down to one of those meals. How could Soubi understand? "Oh, you don't know anything!" he snapped. "It's not any business of yours, anyway!"

"Since I'll be taking care of you now, then it is my business," Soubi answered. "Can you tell me what you're struggling to find words for?"

In a second Ritsuka was on his feet and walking out of the room. He didn't have to answer any questions! He certainly didn't have to answer any questions from Soubi, who never gave him answers to any important questions!

"Just a minute," Soubi said, suddenly moving to stand in front of him. "Where are you going? You haven't finished your lunch."

"I'm going up to my room," Ritsuka answered, trying to keep a rein on his temper.

"You only ate a little chicken, a few noodles, and a mouthful of vegetables," Soubi countered. "That's not very much. You can go up to your room once you've finished what's in your bowl."

"I'm not hungry anymore!" Ritsuka growled. "Let me by!"

"No," Soubi said calmly, picking Ritsuka up around his waist and carrying him back to the table. "Once you've finished what you have, then you can go upstairs."

For the first time in a very, very long time, Ritsuka felt tempted to indulge in a tantrum. He was so frustrated that he really thought he might take Soubi's head off. What did Soubi think he was playing at by pretending to be a strict parent? "You're not my father or anything, you know!"

"I know that," Soubi said. "I am Soubi, your older brother's partner. Seimei would want me to take care of you, even if you become stubborn about something as simple as eating a good meal." He stopped and appeared to think about something. "I guess it doesn't surprise me if you have issues with food, but you do need to eat, Ritsuka."

"What makes you think I have issues with food?"

"If you were constantly walking on eggshells around your mother, then it would be almost a given that you would have such issues," Soubi explained. "I bet she made lots of huge meals full of foods that she thought her Ritsuka would like. Then, you, when you had to sit down and eat them, you had no idea what you were supposed to like and not like...it makes sense, doesn't it?"

Ritsuka knew he was staring and he really didn't care. He was too surprised. "How did you know about that? How...how did you...?" He couldn't even think how to ask what he wanted to ask. Finally, he thought of an easy way to ask it. "Did you read my mind?"

Soubi gave him a quiet smile. "No. I thought about it and put pieces together and came to that conclusion," he said. He sat there in front of Ritsuka, ready to give support if needed. Instead of suddenly having a weeping child clinging to him, the child in question turned, picked up his chopsticks, and started to eat. He even asked for seconds, which pleased Soubi to no end.

Once they were finished eating, Ritsuka helped Soubi clean up and then on Soubi's suggestion, he went outside to the back garden. There was a koi pond with a little waterfall and sitting by it was pretty relaxing. He dangled his fingers on the surface of the water, watched the koi swim, and listened to the sound of the waterfall. It wasn't long before he started to feel himself drifting off. At one point, Soubi was there, talking to him, but Ritsuka waved him away and closed his eyes again. He was too sleepy to think about anything else.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_He was in his room, looking at pictures from his camera. There were plenty with Soubi, some with his school friends, a few from one of his sessions with his doctor, and there was even one with his teacher...Odd that none of them were with his parents. If he didn't have a photo of them, wouldn't he forget?_

_Possibly forgetting frightened him. Even though he didn't get along with his mother or father, he still loved them, and he wanted to remember them. The picture with his father...well, that would have to wait until his father was home, but his mother was downstairs in the kitchen. If he was fast, he could snap a photo of her before he left for school._

_He grabbed his bag, pulled on his coat, and headed downstairs. His mother was still in the kitchen, putting things away. Carefully, he edged around the door, held out his camera, and..._

_The scream wasn't like anything he'd ever heard._

_"What are you doing?" she screamed, grabbing hold of him and pulling him into the kitchen. "Are you spying on me?"_

_"No, Mom," he said quickly. "I just wanted a picture of you." If he kept his tone light, maybe she would let go..._

_"Don't call me 'Mom'!" she shouted, pushing him against the wall. "You're not Ritsuka!"_

_He knew there was nothing he could say that would calm her. She had to wear herself out before she would let him go. He stayed quiet while she raged, he dodged when she threw things, and then she snatched the camera out of his hands._

_"Give it back!" he shouted, panicked. In the state she was in, she could break it. "Give it back, Mom!"_

_"You're not Ritsuka!" she screamed. "Give my Ritsuka back!" Her free hand came to rest on something...the large, heavy cast iron pan on the table. He could see it moving toward his head, but he couldn't move in time. It connected with his head, knocked him down, and as he started to lose his grip on consciousness, he saw his camera impact with the floor, breaking into pieces..._

He jerked awake, shivering. So that was what had happened. He felt tears on his face, but before he could wipe them away, he felt himself slipping back to sleep...

* * *

><p>"Ritsuka-kun?"<p>

Who was talking? Didn't they understand that he wanted to sleep?

"Ristuka-kun?"

If they kept that up, he'd really get annoyed...

"Ritsuka-kun!"

Funny, that sounded like Yuiko...

"RITSUKA-KUN!"

His ears ringing, his eyes snapped open and fastened on Yuiko, his classmate and the one person his age that he could call "friend." "Yuiko? What are you doing here?"

She smiled and gave a little laugh. "Soubi-san invited me over after school today. I've brought the rest of your assignments and he invited me to stay for dinner! We'll get to have some fun!"

Yuiko's brand of fun usually tired him out. "Fun?"

Yuiko nodded, clearly happy. "First, though, we have to do some homework, but we can't do that if you're sleeping! Wake up!"

For a moment, he was very tempted to tell her to shut up and go away, but he knew that wouldn't really work. Not only would it make her cry, he'd feel awful and Soubi was sure to hear and ask what was wrong. Yuiko didn't deserve any grouchiness from him, either.

"Come on, Ritsuka-kun!"

Ritsuka knew that if he didn't get up, then he'd never get back to sleep. She'd just keep after him until he was up, so he swung himself off of his bed and...wait a moment. How had he gotten up to his room? The last thing he knew, he was down in the garden. Oh, wait. He could remember Soubi talking to him. Most likely, Soubi had brought him up to his room and put him on his bed. Simple.

Doing schoolwork was a lot more fun with Yuiko around. Mostly, he considered schoolwork to be nothing but something that took time to do, but with Yuiko, he often had to leave what he was doing and help her with something she didn't understand. Plus, she chattered a bit, which gave him some noise in the background, and that always helped him focus. Before long he was finished, even with all the extra assignments he'd been given, and he could devote all his time to helping Yuiko. They worked their way through her math, science, Japanese, and history homework, and more than once something she said amused him enough that he forgot his worries.

They were just finishing up when a knock on the door brought them out of their study-haze.

"Ah, Soubi-san!" Yuiko said happily. "You were right; he was sleeping!"

"And you woke me up," Ritsuka reminded her.

"That's because we had homework to do!"

"And did you finish?" Soubi asked, giving a little smile.

"Just now," Yuiko told him.

"That's good; it's time for dinner," Soubi said. "I hope you two are hungry."

"Oh, yay!" Yuiko cried. "Soubi-san, your cooking is so good! I can't wait!"

"Thank you for saying so, Yuiko," Soubi said, leading the way out the door. "Hurry up or it will get cold."

Yuiko didn't need to be told twice and Ritsuka followed behind her, listening to her chatter. Soubi listened with a patient smile and once they were all seated he dished up for both of them and invited them to dig in. Yuiko was right that Soubi's cooking was very good, but really, did he have to give them both so many vegetables? If he was going to eat like this all the time, he'd turn into a walking salad.

"Delicious," Yuiko sighed happily, finishing what was on her plate. She seemed to be thinking of something. "Soubi-san, do you think you could teach me how to cook?"

"I don't see why not," Soubi said after a moment. "Just make sure it's all right with your parents, and I'll be happy to teach you. Would you like some more to eat?"

"Yes, please!"

Once Yuiko started on her next helping, it was quiet for several minutes.

"Ritsuka?"

Ritsuka looked at Soubi, who was looking at him with concern. "Yes?"

"Are you all right? You're awfully quiet."

"I guess I'm still a little tired."

"You haven't eaten much, either," Soubi said thoughtfully.

"I had a big lunch," Ritsuka reminded him.

"Two small bowls of food? For you, that was a big lunch?"

"Yes, for me it was a big lunch," Ritsuka said, a bit annoyed. Why was Soubi worrying so much? "When I'm tired, I usually don't eat much."

Soubi nodded. "I see." He glanced at Yuiko's now-empty plate and grinned. "Would either of you be interested in dessert?"

Despite himself, Ritsuka felt his ears perk up. Dessert?

"Soubi-san, you made dessert, too?" Yuiko gasped. "You're so cool!"

Soubi smiled, ruffled Yuiko's hair, and went to the refrigerator. When he pulled out a strawberry kasutera cake, Ritsuka felt his mouth water. Strawberries were one of his favorite fruits and he knew that Yuiko liked them, too...

"Enjoy," Soubi said, cutting them each a slice.

Yuiko's disappeared in record time, but Ritsuka lingered over his slice a little, ready to enjoy it. Once they were all finished eating, they helped Soubi clear the table and do the dishes and then he sent them back upstairs. "I'll be up in a little bit to check over your homework," he promised.

Ritsuka paused on the steps, turning to stare at him. "Huh? Why?"

"Because I should check your work," Soubi stated calmly.

"Do you think I've not done it or something? That I've done it all wrong?"

Soubi shook his head. "That's not it at all, Ritsuka," Soubi said. "Don't parents and guardians usually check over students' work?"

"My parents do," Yuiko said helpfully from the top of the stairs. "I leave it out for them every night."

"Yeah, well, no one's ever needed to check over my work before," Ritsuka said, feeling uncomfortable. He couldn't remember his father ever asking about school, and the few times he'd left his work out for his mother...well, that had never ended well. When Seimei had been alive, Seimei had checked his homework...

"How else am I going to keep up with what you're doing in school?" Soubi wanted to know. "You might not remember to tell me and you might not want to talk about it if I ask."

Put that way, Soubi checking his work pretty much made sense. "All right, then."

He and Yuiko went back to his room and Yuiko immediately began chattering away. Ritsuka only half-listened until Yuiko clapped her hands. "That's right! I brought back the last book you loaned me, Ritsuka-kun. It was really good!"

Ritsuka felt a smile starting. "You liked it, then?"

Yuiko grinned and nodded. "Mm-hmm! There were some parts I didn't understand, but I liked it all the same! Could you tell me about what I didn't understand, Ritsuka-kun?"

He and Yuiko were deep in a discussion of the book when Soubi arrived. Still deep in the talk about the book Yuiko had read, Ritsuka barely noticed Soubi as he opened workbooks and folders and examined their work. Yuiko was laughing about something when Soubi came over to them and held out a few homework sheets. "I've marked where you need to make corrections," he said as soon as there was a pause in the conversation. "Once you've finished, I think it would be best if you headed home, Yuiko. It's getting late."

"Okay. Thanks, Soubi-san!" Yuiko said, taking her homework sheets and getting to work.

"You're welcome. Since it's already dark I'll call a taxi for you, all right?"

Once Soubi was gone Ritsuka started working on his homework, finding it somewhat amusing that Soubi seemed to want to do such a good job as his guardian. All he had to fix were a few words on an essay, and he was done.

"Hey, Ritsuka-kun?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you be all right living here with Soubi?"

Ritsuka's head snapped up and he stared at his friend. "Huh? Don't you like Soubi?"

"Of course I do!" Yuiko assured him. "Sometimes it seems as if you're more ready to fight with him than talk with him, that's all."

Once again, Yuiko had surprised him by being unexpectedly sharp. "I'll be fine," he said. "I mean, he's my older brother's friend, and I guess you can call him my friend, now. Sometimes he annoys me, but that doesn't mean anything. Things will be fine."

Yuiko looked as if she didn't quite believe him. "If you're okay here, why haven't you opened up the presents he bought for you?" she asked, pointing to the pile at the foot of his bed. "I was with him when he bought most of them."

He felt exceedingly uncomfortable. "People don't need to buy me things just because...just because..." His throat closed up. "I don't need things."

Yuiko nodded. "You don't want to think he bought all of those things because he felt sorry for you, is that it?"

Once again, he was staring at his friend. Despite her spacey act sometimes, Yuiko really was good at reading people.

"He didn't buy those because he felt sorry for you," she said, erasing a wrong answer and reworking a math problem.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I asked why he was buying you so many things. He told me that he felt you should have some new things, ones that you could build memories with and that had no old memories attached."

Once again, he could feel his throat closing. Soubi had said that?

"I really think you'll like what he bought for you," Yuiko said, finishing her work and tucking it into her folder. "You know, it's okay to let people be nice to you, Ritsuka-kun."

For a moment she sounded so much like his doctor that he had to take a glance at her to make sure that she hadn't turned into his therapist. No, she was still Yuiko. "I'll think about it," he said, not willing to commit himself.

"All right, then."

"Yuiko! Taxi's on its way! Come downstairs, now!" Soubi called.

"Come see me off?" Yuiko asked, stuffing things into her bag.

Ritsuka followed her downstairs and once the taxi was there Soubi paid the driver, told him Yuiko's address, and told Yuiko to call once she got home so they would know she'd arrived safely.

"'Kay!" Yuiko said, waving goodbye. "See you, Ritsuka-kun! Good night, Soubi-san!"

"Will she be okay?" Ritsuka asked once they'd gone back into the house.

"She'll be fine," Soubi said. "That driver's a friend of mine, and he'll make sure that she's safe."

Ritsuka glanced at Soubi. "Somehow, it doesn't surprise me. You seem to know people all over. How'd you meet this taxi driver? Did you get into his cab and strike up a conversation?"

Soubi looked thoughtful. "Something like that." He stopped and glanced at the clock in the living room. "It's getting late. I'll fill the bathtub for you and then you can take a bath and head to bed, all right? It's been a long day."

"Okay," Ritsuka agreed. A hot bath would be nice. Better than nice, actually. His body still hurt from his injuries and soaking in hot water for a while would feel great. "Let me get my pajamas."

He was just coming back downstairs when he saw Soubi standing there, cell phone held to his ear.

"All right. Good to hear, Yuiko. See you soon." Soubi hung up and turned, smiling at Ritsuka. "Yuiko got home just fine. The bath's ready for you."

"Thanks," Ritsuka said, heading down the hall toward it. A sudden thought made him pause and turn back to Soubi. "You're not to come in while I'm in there. Understand, Soubi?"

Soubi smiled. "Is that an order, Ritsuka?"

"You bet your ears it's an order!" Ritsuka told him, feeling a little panicked. What if Soubi chose to disobey?

"Ah, I have only the one pair, so I'd better be careful, then," Soubi said lightly, still smiling. "Don't worry, I won't come in while you're bathing, Ritsuka. I promise."

Ritsuka knew that Soubi kept his promises. Well, mostly. He'd kept his promise about the picture of the Iromote cat, hadn't he? He could trust Soubi about other things, couldn't he? "All right." Just to be safe, though, he was locking the door. He went into the bathroom, locked the door, found his bath bucket, undressed, and started to wash. He was more than a little sore from the beating he'd taken, but the bruises would fade and the pain would go away and he would feel better. At least, he hoped so. He scrubbed, rinsed, scrubbed again, and rinsed once more before climbing into the tub. The water was nice and just as hot as he liked it. He settled in and leaned back, more than ready to let the hot water soak away his aches. He shifted and a bright patch of color drew his attention. Of course. He knew he could count on Soubi for one thing, at least. Absent-mindedly, he poked the yellow rubber duck back and forth across the water and let his mind drift. Tomorrow was Sunday, so there was no school...

* * *

><p>"Ritsuka!"<p>

Hmm. Sounded like Soubi was shouting about something.

"Ritsuka!"

Why couldn't he shut up? If it was the middle of the night and Soubi was making that much noise, his mother would wake up...

_Click._ "Ritsuka!"

Ritsuka's eyes snapped open. Had he fallen asleep again? This was getting to be a habit! He sat up a little straighter, felt water slosh around him and...

The rubber duck acquired the power of flight, hitting Soubi squarely in the chest. "SOUBI! I TOLD YOU NOT TO COME IN HERE! GET OUT!"

"I'm sorry, but I've been trying to get you to answer me for the last ten minutes," Soubi explained, dodging a splash of water. "Why weren't you answering me? I was starting to get worried."

Ritsuka hunkered down in the water. "I didn't hear you."

Soubi looked surprised. "Did you fall asleep?"

"Yes," Ritsuka confessed. "Look, I'm fine, so could I finish my bath in privacy, please?"

"All right," Soubi said, backing up and closing the door. "Don't go back to sleep."

"Okay, okay," Ritsuka said, waiting until the door was completely closed before standing up in the tub. He was just reaching for a towel when he realized that he'd forgotten to bring one in from the linen closet. There was no dry towel in the bathroom at all.

_Click._ "Ritsuka, I've brought you a towel..."

Ritsuka dove for the water, his face burning red. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"Bringing you a towel," Soubi said calmly. "I didn't know you weren't in the water."

The only thing out of the water now was his head, and that was in danger of going under the surface. Drowning himself was pretty tempting right now. If he drowned, he wouldn't have to feel this way. "Oh. Th-thank you f-for bringing me a towel," Ritsuka said, still very embarrassed. "Um, could we forget this ever happened?"

"Not a problem," Soubi said kindly. "You moved quickly, so I didn't see anything, I swear."

Ritsuka nodded. "Okay. Thanks. Bye!"

Soubi took the hint, handed Ritsuka the towel, and left. Ritsuka was out of the tub and wrapped up in the towel in record time. He was dry and had his pajamas on just as quickly. He mopped up the floor with the towel, hung it to dry, tidied up the bathroom, and headed out into the hall. Soubi had left his slippers there for him, so he slipped them on and shuffled into the living room to where Soubi was sitting.

"Sorry for freaking out," Ritsuka apologized.

"Understandable," Soubi answered. "I made some hot chocolate. Would you like some?"

Ritsuka felt a smile start. He really liked hot chocolate. How did Soubi know that? "Sure!"

He and Soubi sat on the couch for a while, sipping hot chocolate and not talking about anything in particular. Ritsuka felt warm and cozy and he put his empty cup on the table, more than ready to head upstairs and go to bed. Somehow, though, he couldn't get himself to get up and go upstairs.

"Are you tired?"

"Mm-hmm," Ritsuka admitted, leaning back into the couch cushions.

"It's been a long day," Soubi said, finishing his chocolate. "I'm surprised you're still awake."

"I haven't been awake," Ritsuka reminded him. "I had a nap after lunch and then I fell asleep in the tub."

"And you're almost asleep now," Soubi pointed out. "Come on. Up to bed, now."

Ritsuka tried to get to his feet, but then it became a non-issue as Soubi picked him up and carried him toward the stairs.

"Soubi, what are you doing? I can walk on my own!"

"Yes, I know," Soubi said. "Why can't I carry you?"

"Because I'm not a baby!"

"You're just as cute as a baby," Soubi teased.

"Don't say stupid stuff!"

"Let me fuss," Soubi told him. Soubi carried him upstairs and into his bedroom and even tucked him into bed. "Sleep well, Ritsuka. I'll see you in the morning. Good night."

Ritsuka let himself drop into the pillows behind his head. "Good night, Soubi. See you in the morning."

Soubi left, turning off the light and closing the door. Ritsuka rolled over in bed and let his mind wander, thinking about his hospital stay, the changes in his life since then, and of all the things that had happened that day. It still amazed him that someone as young as Soubi would want the responsibility of a house and a kid and everything else. All that was missing was a girlfriend for Soubi and the picture of a happy home would be complete. Then again, he couldn't remember Soubi ever mentioning a girlfriend...

He rolled over again. He'd heard some girl at school once ask Yuiko if she was his girlfriend. No, he and Yuiko weren't dating, but there were times when he wondered what it would be like to have a girlfriend. It might be nice.

Thinking of Yuiko reminded him of that afternoon before dinner. He could remember Yuiko saying that it was all right to let people be nice to him. He also remembered that she'd said that she'd been with Soubi when he'd bought all of those gifts. Curious and now feeling more awake, he switched on the bedside lamp and looked at the pile of gifts. He eased his way out of bed and picked the top gift up, trying to get a feel through the paper for what it was. If felt like...a box. Okay. Carefully, and trying to make as little noise as possible, Ritsuka peeled back the paper and found himself staring at a building set. He'd seen it advertised on television and he'd thought it looked pretty cool...once again, it seemed as if Soubi had read his mind. He folded up the paper and set it aside before picking up the next gift. Inside the wrapping paper was a chess set. Before he'd died, Seimei had promised to teach him chess. Now, it looked as if Soubi would be teaching him.

Those were just the beginning. Soubi had given him books, clothes, two wooden brain-teaser toys, an art set, and a cat plushie. That one made him smile and he put it on his bed to open the last gift. This one was a large, leather-bound journal. On the front end page Soubi had written, "Ritsuka-Everyone should have a place to store their memories of their lives. I hope you find this useful." In the box with the journal was a new digital camera and all of the needed equipment.

Ritsuka didn't realize he was until he sniffled. He felt as if he wanted to hug the journal and howl like a baby, but instead he sat down at the desk, found a pen, and wrote in the date. He thought for a moment about what to write, but at last he found the words.

_Mom had a nervous breakdown and is in the hospital. The police and social services people can't find Dad. I'm not sure they will unless he wants to be found. I'm now living with Soubi. Tonight's the first night._

He closed the book, tidied away the wrapping paper, switched off the light, and then climbed back into bed with the cat plushie to keep him company. He was still feeling unsettled, but at the same time, he was feeling...safe.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Probably because he'd slept so much the day before, Ritsuka didn't sleep much that night. He woke up around six the next morning, but he stayed in bed, his mind trying to catch up. Despite all that had happened, he still expected to be in his bed at home and to hear his mother making breakfast. Instead, all he heard was silence.

_I'm living with Soubi now,_ he thought. _I'm not going to go home until…I don't know. The police can't find Dad and Mom's in the hospital._ He didn't know what living with Soubi would be like, but it would be better than living with his parents. At least Soubi didn't scream at him and throw things and…

He didn't realize he was crying until he started having trouble breathing. Then he was sniffling and then he had to bury his face in the pillow to keep Soubi from hearing. Why should the thought that his mother wouldn't scream and throw things at him anymore make him cry? He didn't feel relieved, all he felt was that he wanted to go home, to make the last few days disappear and live his life the way he always had. He'd hated the fact that his mother didn't believe that he was who he was, that she'd screamed at him and sometimes hurt him, but she was still his mother.

He rolled over in bed and put the pillow over his face, sighing. His mind was all mixed up. He'd hated that his mother had acted that way, but he couldn't feel relieved at all. Why was that? He could eat meals now without waiting to make a mistake by eating the "wrong" thing, he didn't have to pretend any time he was at home…Next thing he knew, he was sobbing.

He didn't know how long he'd been crying, but a knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts. "What?"

"Ritsuka, are you all right?"

Soubi. "Yes, I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine."

"I'm fine!"

Soubi didn't wait. He came in and sat on the bed. "Why are you crying? Are you hurting?"

"No, I'm not hurting," he said, wiping his eyes. "Could I be alone, please?"

"Why?"

"Because I want to be!" he shouted, more than fed up. Couldn't Soubi take a stupid _hint_?

Soubi put a hand on his shoulder. "But you don't have to be alone."

That only made him cry harder, and the next thing he knew Soubi had picked him up and was holding him on his lap, cuddling him.

"It will be all right," Soubi said, rocking him back and forth. "It's not all right now, I know, but in time it will be all right. I promise."

Ritsuka took a deep breath and fought to get control of himself, but he was crying too hard for that. If anything, he was crying harder and it was getting worse. He was giving big, heaving sobs and it was starting to get a little hard to breathe. He'd known kids who cried a lot; where on earth did they find the energy? He was exhausted already and he was pretty sure that he wasn't about to stop. How tired would he be when he finally managed to stop crying?

Even though he was bawling like a baby, Soubi kept holding him. At one point, a packet of tissues appeared and they were used up within ten minutes. Soubi was still there, holding him and whispering that it would be all right eventually.

He cried himself right back to sleep, and when he woke up his nose was less than an inch from Soubi's chest. The both of them were on his bed, cuddled together and under the blankets. The question he had to ask himself now was, did he want to know if something had happened? No, no, he really didn't want to know and anyway, he didn't think that Soubi would...do...anything. Soubi had never hurt him...creeped him out a few times, sure, but he'd never hurt him. He shifted and tried to pull away, but Soubi's arms tightened and he rolled to the side, taking Ritsuka with him. Now Ritsuka was lying on Soubi's stomach, staring down at his face. "Umm, Soubi?"

"Hmmm?"

"Could I get up?"

Soubi cuddled him and opened his eyes before glancing at the clock. "Yes. It's time to get up. After you get changed, would you like to help me with breakfast?"

One thing that he'd rarely done was help in the kitchen. Oh, he'd cooked occasionally in classes at school, but he hadn't done much more than that. "Sure." It might be fun to cook.

He joined Soubi in the kitchen ten minutes later, ready and raring to go. It wasn't long before he was helping to scramble eggs for an omelet while Soubi prepared vegetables.

"Okay," Soubi said a minute later, standing at the stove. "The pan's hot enough now. Bring those eggs over, okay?"

Ritsuka carried the bowl over to the stove and with Soubi's help, he poured the eggs into the pan, added the vegetables, and with Soubi standing beside him, he made his first vegetable omelets.

"Well done," Soubi said while he got bowls and plates out of the cupboard. "Ready to eat?"

Shortly after that they were sitting down to breakfast in the dining area. They chatted while they ate, mostly about things like the weather and how the food tasted. "This is good, Ritsuka," Soubi said, taking another bite of omelet.

Ritsuka felt himself flush. He wasn't used to hearing that he'd done something well. "Um...thanks."

"No, I mean it," Soubi continued. "I could teach you to cook and I think that some of the harder dishes wouldn't be beyond you."

"I have cooking lessons in school," Ritsuka reminded him.

"Yes, but don't you think it would be fun?"

Ritsuka had to agree with him there. "Yes, I think it would be fun."

"Great! I'll teach you, then."

As they were cleaning up Soubi asked him what he would like to do that day.

"Do?" Ritsuka echoed.

"Yes," Soubi said, handing Ritsuka a bowl to dry.

Ritsuka dried the bowl and thought about it. "I don't know, really. I hadn't planned anything."

Soubi smiled at him and finished rinsing off the last dish. "A new aquarium's opened up," he said. "Have you ever been to one?"

"Only with Seimei, and only when I was little," he admitted.

"Would you like to go?"

Ritsuka thought about it. "They just have fish at an aquarium, don't they?"

"And seahorses and penguins and otters," Soubi added. "And sting rays and sea dragons."

Ritsuka felt his ears perk up. "Sea dragons?"

"Mmm-hmmm."

"I don't believe you," Ritsuka said, having a strong feeling that Soubi was laughing at him.

"I've seen sea dragons," Soubi offered. "They're quite beautiful."

Was he teasing, or not? Ritsuka wasn't sure.

"We could go out to lunch after visiting the aquarium, if you like," Soubi coaxed. "You haven't done that much, have you?"

Ritsuka shook his head. The few times he'd eaten out he'd been with Seimei or his school friends. Lately, eating out consisted of convenience store food or Big Macs, except for the time his doctor had taken him out... "All right. I'd like that."

* * *

><p>Soubi had not been lying about the sea dragons. He'd been staring at them for the last ten minutes, transfixed in front of their tank, and he still had trouble believing they were real. They really did look like dragons...small dragons that swam through the oceans and hid among seaweed when threatened...but re-emerged to swim around again, "flying" through the water like the dragons they were named after.<p>

"Why didn't you tell me they were like seahorses?" Ritsuka wanted to know.

"I didn't want to spoil the surprise," Soubi said evenly with a smile. "What do you think?"

"They're beautiful," Ritsuka said. "It makes me wish we could take one home as a pet!"

Soubi looked thoughtful. "You'd like one as a pet?"

"Well, I know that can't happen since they're considered to be a near threatened species, but I think they're cool." Only then did he see the thoughtful look on Soubi's face and realized what it might mean. "Uh, Soubi?"

"Yes, Ritsuka?"

"You're not to take any of these, understand?"

Soubi smiled again, clearly amused. "Yes, Ristuka."

They spent hours in the aquarium, wandering around and looking at the exhibits. Ritsuka didn't want to admit it, but he was having a great time. Soubi seemed more than happy to let him stay there all day if he wanted, and he didn't try to rush him through anything. He watched the penguins having a good old penguin time for close to an hour and Soubi didn't say anything. He spent almost as long at the otter tank and spent so long petting sting rays that his fingers wrinkled from the water. Added to that were all the displays of tropical fish, the shark tunnel, the coral reef pool, and everything else. By lunchtime they'd seen everything and Soubi suggested getting lunch.

"If you wanted to come back after lunch, we could," he offered, seeing Ritsuka's reluctance to leave.

Ritsuka shook his head. "No, that's not it," he said. "I guess I've had fun and I really don't want it to end."

"There's lots of fun to have," Soubi told him. "I'll make sure you have some fun every day, so you'll never have to have it end."

Ritsuka fought down a smile. Soubi sounded so...so...well, what he was saying was nice, but it sounded like something out of a manga! "Okay, Soubi."

They went to a family-style restaurant a block from the aquarium and it wasn't long before they were settled in their seats and looking at menus. Ritsuka looked over all the choices and found he wanted to order one of everything, it all looked so good! There were all kinds of sandwiches, hot dishes, burgers, fries, curries...he didn't know what to pick! He turned the page in his menu and felt the indecision increase: desserts! Strawberry kasutera cake, chocolate cake, several types of ice cream...

"You can choose one thing for your lunch and only one dessert," Soubi said, suddenly breaking into Ritsuka's dreams of an all-dessert lunch.

"Soubi!"

"Trust me, you won't be able to eat anything more than that," Soubi told him. "You don't want to make yourself sick by eating too much, do you?"

Ritsuka thought about it. He usually got sick from being nervous while eating, not from eating too much. "What if I'm still hungry?"

"Then you can order something else, but only if you're still hungry," Soubi said. "I promise."

It didn't take Ritsuka long to order a cheeseburger and fries, a soda, and for dessert, some strawberry kasutera cake. In a short time he had a feast in front of him and happily began working his way through it. One thing that did amuse him was that his burger had a little flag stuck in the top bun. The last time he'd seen something like that, he'd been eating out with Seimei.

Soubi had been right about ordering too much. He'd eaten the burger, most of the fries, and half the cake, and he was so full that his stomach felt uncomfortable. It didn't hurt, it was just a little...well, over-full. He wasn't about to let Soubi know, though.

"Stick a fork in me, I'm done," Soubi said. "I haven't eaten like this in a while. It must be the good company."

Ritsuka sipped at his soda. What should he say to that?

"It looks like you're done, too."

"Hm? Oh, yeah."

"All right, then, let's go," Soubi said, standing and picking up their bill.

Ritsuka followed him, waited patiently while Soubi paid the bill, and then he followed him back out into the street. "Where are we going now? Home?"

"I think not yet," Soubi said. "Would you mind going to a bookstore with me? There are a few books I need to pick up."

Ritsuka felt his ears perk with interest. "A bookstore? Sure." He liked looking around in bookstores. There were times when he spent hours in bookstores, just looking around at books and occasionally reading whatever caught his eye.

Soubi led him down streets, around corners, and when they finally arrived, Ritsuka was paying so much attention to what Soubi had been saying that he didn't realize they'd arrived. They were standing in front of a small place that looked like a run-down house. The only sign that it was a bookstore was the sign above the door designating it "Sato's Old and Rare Books." Interesting.

A bell clanged as Soubi opened the door, and Ritsuka followed him into the entryway. The inside of the shop was dark and dusty and Ritsuka stopped for a moment to let his eyes adjust. There was a sharp, musty smell that always seemed to accompany old books and he fought not to sneeze. It was so quiet in this place! He was used to seeing a lot of people in bookstores, but here they were the only customers. He didn't even see a clerk behind the desk.

"Sato-san?" Soubi called.

"Just a moment!" Ritsuka heard somewhere near the back of the store. "I'll be right out!"

They waited. And waited. Occasionally they would hear a rustle or a thump, but there was no sign of a shopkeeper anywhere. What was taking this guy so long?

_Shuffle shuffle shuffle shuffle shuffle_

"AHH, SOUBI-KUN!"

Ritsuka nearly jumped out of his skin. A tiny little man had appeared out of nowhere and popped up in front of them, crowing Soubi's name so loudly that Ritsuka's heart was still pounding.

"Hello, Sato-san," Soubi said, smiling. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you, too," Sato-san said, giving them both a wrinkly smile. "What can I do for you today?"

"I've come to pick up those books you've been holding for me," Soubi answered. "Are they ready?"

"They just need wrapped," Sato-san said. He squinted at Ritsuka and smiled even more. "Who's this?"

"This is Aoyagi Ritsuka, Seimei's younger brother."

Ritsuka bowed. "Hello."

"Good to meet you, good to meet you, young man," Sato-san said. "Eh, you look like Seimei."

Ritsuka felt his ears go up. "You knew Seimei?"

"Of course I did. Now, would you like to look around a bit while I get Soubi-kun his books?"

"Ah, yes, that's fine."

"All right, then, Soubi-kun, follow me, please. Have fun, Ritsuka-kun."

Sato-san shuffled off and Soubi followed him, leaving Ritsuka alone in the front of the store. He waited a moment and then approached the nearest shelf to read the spines of the books there. All of the spines were blank, so he pulled out a book and opened it. He stared at the text. Interesting. It wasn't Japanese. In fact, he couldn't even take a guess at what it was. He turned pages, but none of the words made sense. When he came across an illustration he found himself staring again. What kind of creature was _that_?

"Not that shelf, youngster!" Sato-san shouted from the back. "Try one of the ones along the wall!"

Ritsuka did as he was told and actually felt relieved when he spotted Japanese on the book spines. He opened one titled simply "Tales" and began to read. They were all old Japanese stories about gods, demons and warriors. He read most of the stories in that book before setting it aside and looking for another. It wasn't long before he had five books of old legends gathered around him and he was flipping through them in turn, reading a passage here, a sentence there, and thoroughly enjoying himself. He was deep in a story about a snow demon when...

"Find something good?"

Ritsuka jumped and the book went flying. "Aah! Don't sneak up on me like that, Soubi!"

"Sorry," Soubi said, retrieving the book. He looked at the title. "I didn't know that you liked stories."

"We've read a few in school and I didn't care for them too much, but these are interesting," Ritsuka confessed.

"Would you like them?"

Ritsuka stared at the short pile of books. "Not all of them!" he protested. They looked expensive!

"Why? If you like something, I'll get it for you. Don't worry about the money."

"One of us should!" Ritsuka pointed out. "You've already bought a house, furnishings, things for me..."

"Ah, let him, youngster!" Sato-san said brightly, shuffling his way toward them between the shelves. "It'll make Soubi-kun happy!"

Ritsuka stared at the old man. Why did he feel that the man ran on batteries or something?

Soubi scooped up the books and took them to the counter. "We'll take these as well, Sato-san."

"Just TWO!" Ritsuka interjected. "JUST TWO!"

"Why not all of them?" Soubi wanted to know. "I can tell you like them, so why won't you let me get them all for you?"

"Because I don't want them all at once," Ritsuka explained quickly. "I want something to look forward to later."

Sato-san grinned. "Aaaahhh! I see! He is a true book-lover, Soubi-kun! All right, two it is!"

At last! He'd won an argument with Soubi! Sure, he'd had some outside help, but who cared? Victory!

"We'll get the other four later," Soubi said, unwilling to let the subject drop just yet.

"As long as it's later," Ritsuka insisted. He wasn't about to let this victory go without a fight.

* * *

><p>On the way home they went to the supermarket to pick up some things for dinner. Ritsuka followed along behind Soubi, glancing at the shelves. Before, he didn't go into stores too often since his mother usually did the shopping during the day. Sometimes, though, she would send him to the store for something as a way of testing him, to see if he was the "real" Ritsuka. He'd hated running such errands since they were landmines from start to finish, but he noticed something as he shopped with Soubi. His stomach wasn't in knots and he didn't have a headache. Rather, he was pretty calm. Interesting.<p>

Soubi seemed to have a grocery list in his head. They picked up several types of noodles, a brand of expensive rice, some dashi stock, fish, squid, seaweed, eggs, daikon, natto, several types of tofu, burdock, chicken, beef, pork, some bread, carrots, potatoes, several types of mushrooms, cabbage, broccoli, pumpkin...

"What are you going to make with all of this?" The only thing he could think of that used all of these ingredients would be a stew of some kind...

"I'm shopping for the next few days as well as tonight," Soubi explained. "We'll both be busy and we won't have time to run to the grocery store."

"Oh."

"That's everything on my list," Soubi told him. "Now, is there anything you'd like? Sweets? Snacks?"

Ritsuka stared at him, rather surprised. "You'd let me have things like that?" He could still remember Soubi's lecture about eating well and training the senses and all of that.

"Once in a while, that kind of thing's all right," Soubi said. "Besides, I've been having a craving for chocolate lately. Let's see what they have, all right?"

The few times he'd been in a grocery store, he'd rarely allowed himself to walk down the candy aisle. The temptation would have been too great to resist, so he avoided it, but now...!

It was still a temptation, and it was still oh, so very hard to resist! It was very difficult not to throw everything that caught his fancy into the basket, but it was really fun to look! After twenty minutes in the candy aisle, they came out with a bag of green tea candy, a bag of mango candy, and for Soubi, some chocolate and a bag of milk candy. He knew he would have to be careful not to eat too much of it at one time so he could make it last...

He and Soubi got home just as the sun was setting. They went inside and Soubi put the groceries away while Ritsuka took his books upstairs. He went back downstairs to see just what Soubi was making for dinner and to see if Soubi would start his cooking lessons. He was still looking forward to them.

"I was about to call you," Soubi told him. "Would you like to learn how to make pork tonkatsu?"

Ritsuka felt his mouth water. He loved pork tonkatsu! "Yes!"

Soubi showed him how to trim the fat from the pork, how to score the cutlet, how to dredge and season it, and how to cover it in breadcrumbs before frying. They made rice and vegetables to go with the pork and before long they were sitting down and eating.

"Nice job," Soubi said after taking a bite of tonkatsu.

"Just because you were giving me the directions," Ritsuka told him.

"You were the one who did the cooking," Soubi pointed out. He stopped and looked rather thoughtful.

"What is it?" Ritsuka asked.

"I was wondering if you felt up to going back to school tomorrow. You can stay home as long as you like, of course, but I'm sure your teacher and classmates would like to know if you're all right..."

Ritsuka thought about it. Spending time with Soubi was fun...did he really want to go back to school? "As my guardian, shouldn't you be encouraging me to go back?"

"As your guardian, I have to do what's best for you," Soubi corrected. "If that means you stay home a little longer, then that's what we'll do. I only want you to go back if you feel ready to go back."

He thought some more. "Why wouldn't I be ready to go back?"

"You've been through a lot of changes," Soubi reminded him. "That can take a toll on you. I'm glad that you've handled things so well so far, but I want you to have enough time to process everything."

Ritsuka busied himself with eating. He liked Soubi's recipe for tonkatsu and the vegetables were pretty good... "I think I'm ready to go back to school," he said at last.

"Are you sure? You sound a bit hesitant."

"I don't think it'll get any easier for me if I wait," Ritsuka said at last. "I'll go and see how I do. If I get overwhelmed or something, then I'll just go to the nurse's office and take a break. I'll be fine."

Soubi nodded. "All right, Ritsuka. You'll go back to school tomorrow."


End file.
